Cal.E.'s Korner

"Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it."  George Santayana

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  Albert Einstein (or Benjamin Franklin or Mark Twain).

C.: Oh, hi there. I was just going over my notes for the blog today because d.c. is busy with taking a test, or getting rid of pests, or something else, but he wanted me to write the blog today by myself.

I put those two quotes at the beginning of the blog like d.c. does sometimes, to introduce the idea of today’s blog. As y’all know, d.c. and I work at The Kennel, a correctional facility for men and animals. Since, most of the inmates are repeat offender; I used these two quotes to introduce the subject matter of today’s blog.. I know that d.c. cannot tell you exactly what goes on where we work, but I’m a cat, so what would they do to me if they caught me? Everyone knows that cats can’t type or talk so…

d.c. said that one of his saddest memories was of an inmate being released who had no idea why he was being released early. For those inmates who have been in the criminal justice system for decades, it wouldn’t have been very hard to understand, but this wasn’t someone who had spent most of his life behind bars. This inmate received an Fi1, which is a way of saying that he was being released due to a severe medical condition. This inmate only knew that he was getting ten years knocked off his twenty-year sentence, so he was happy about it. Why was d.c. sad that an inmate wasn’t well-informed, in light of the fact that, according to d.c., this was one of his three worst and hardest to handle patients? Because of the time frame.

d.c. knew, from talking to inmates who were familiar with the system, that it would take the State three months to process the paperwork to release the inmate, and that, according to his chart, was his life expectancy. However, this inmate went on and on about how he was going to get a job teaching when he got out because he now had a B.S. degree in education. However, all medical personnel except for one person, the Senior Practice Manager (head honcho) are forbidden from discussing this  information with the inmate or his family unless he signs a release form, and a nurse or a provider cannot suggest that the inmate do so It is up to him or her to make that decision. d.c. said that this inmate reminded him of another inmate who received an Fi1.

I will just call this guy inmate number one. That’s not his identification number, although he was old. It’s the bed’s number that he slept in. Number one had a life sentence with no hope of parole. He was resigned to living the rest of his life in prison, until he was diagnosed with cancer.

Number one accepted the chemotherapy and radiation treatments until his oncologist told him that the treatment would kill him faster than the cancer. He was a tall man who had a very low body mass index, and his body was weak from the drugs and treatment. That is why Number one got an Fi1. He was released two weeks later.

The State probably reasoned that, since his prognosis was to live for only two more weeks, it would be easier on everyone who worked at that branch of The Kennel. if he died outside of The Kennel. That did happen-two years later.

Now, as for why all these people keep coming back to prison…

T.: Cal.E., I’m home

C.: Yippee! T.’s home! I must greet him at the door, so that’s all the time we have for today, folks. Please join us tomorrow for another episode of Cal.e.’s Korner.